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India Critical Minerals Timeline: Lithium & Rare Earths

India's critical-mineral challenge is not mainly finding deposits. It is building the processing and manufacturing that turns ore into refined metal, alloy, ba…

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LITHIUM RESOURCE + LAW CHAN…

GSI reports a lithium resource in Jammu and Kashmir; India rewrites its mining…

In February 2023 the Geological Survey of India announced an inferred lithium resource of about 5.9 million tonnes at Salal-Haimana in Reasi district. The same year an e…

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OVERSEAS LITHIUM

KABIL signs a lithium-brine exploration agreement in Argentina

On 15 January 2024 Khanij Bidesh India Limited signed an agreement with the Catamarca state enterprise CAMYEN for exploration and development rights over five lithium-br…

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NATIONAL MISSION

National Critical Mineral Mission approved

On 29 January 2025 the Union Cabinet approved the NCMM, a seven-year mission (2024-25 to 2030-31) spanning exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, recycling, R a…

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CHINA EXPORT SHOCK

China tightens rare-earth exports

On 4 April 2025 China imposed export-licensing requirements on seven rare-earth elements - samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium - an…

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RECYCLING SCHEME

Rs 1,500 crore critical-mineral recycling scheme launched

Approved on 3 September 2025 and issued with guidelines on 2 October 2025, the scheme offers a 20 percent capex subsidy and a phased opex subsidy for plants recovering c…

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MAGNET SCHEME

Rs 7,280 crore rare-earth magnet manufacturing scheme approved

On 26 November 2025 the Cabinet approved the Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets, with a total outlay of Rs 7,280 crore - Rs 6,450 c…

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RARE EARTH CORRIDORS

Budget 2026-27 announces four Rare Earth Corridors

The Union Budget 2026-27 announced dedicated Rare Earth Corridors in Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu for mining, processing, research and manufacturing in…

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ARGENTINA DEEP EXPLORATION

KABIL clears environmental approval for deep exploration in Catamarca

On 10 April 2026 KABIL received environmental clearance from Argentine authorities to begin deep exploration on its five lithium-brine blocks. Company estimates put any…

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8TH AUCTION TRANCHE

Eighth tranche of critical and strategic mineral block auctions launched

On 15 July 2026 the Ministry of Mines launched the eighth tranche - 20 blocks across nine states, 3 mining leases and 17 composite licences, covering graphite, rare-eart…

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MINING LAW REFORM

Parliament passes the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026

Parliament passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026. Its scope is broader than critical minerals - it restricts some state levies o…

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